‘I never voted’: Two conservative influencers face felony charges over Minnesota election stunt
No ballots cast, but charges filed.
Conservative activist James O’Keefe and influencer Cam Higby are facing felony charges after allegedly using other people’s identities while filming an undercover operation at Minnesota polling places. The pair said they were investigating ‘potential vulnerabilities’ in the state’s election system, but prosecutors argue that their actions crossed a legal line into unlawful voting and identity theft.
According to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office on Thursday, both men face felony charges of unlawful voting and identity theft over their conduct during Minnesota’s August 11 primary. Prosecutors allege they gave election workers the names of registered voters without those individuals’ knowledge or permission while attempting to explore the state’s voter-vouching process.
Higby denied wrongdoing in a statement. “I never voted, I never signed an affidavit, and I never violated a law,” he told CBS Minnesota.
The stunt has tested more than election security
Minnesota allows registered voters to vouch for the residence of up to eight other people in their precinct, helping eligible residents register on Election Day. But the process does not eliminate identity verification requirements.
O’Keefe and Higby visited multiple Minneapolis polling places, filming interactions with election workers while using names that did not belong to them. They left without completing registrations or casting ballots. Prosecutors argue that misrepresenting their identities while applying for ballots was enough to warrant charges.
The Minnesota Secretary of State’s office also criticized the video, saying that it was heavily edited and reflects a misunderstanding of the state’s election laws. The dispute echoes earlier controversies over self-appointed election monitors, which prompted a judge to issue temporary restraining orders prohibiting filming voters at ballot drop boxes.
The controversy has also drawn attention to how rarely Minnesota’s vouching system is used. According to reporting by MPR News, fewer than 0.6% of votes in the 2024 general election involved the process.
O’Keefe’s history of undercover investigations
O’Keefe, who founded Project Veritas, a conservative activist group known for its sting-style videos, before launching O’Keefe Media Group, has a long history of undercover stings. His methods have long drawn legal and ethical scrutiny.
In 2010, O’Keefe pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge related to entering the office of then-Sen. Mary Landrieu under false pretenses. He has continued to defend undercover investigations as a way to expose alleged ‘wrongdoing.’
Meanwhile, both men are scheduled to appear in court on November 16. They have not been convicted, and the allegations will be addressed through the legal process.
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